


Catch Me When I Fall

by TeamHPForever



Series: Halloween on the Enterprise [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 02:43:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1026341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamHPForever/pseuds/TeamHPForever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kirk decides to throw a Halloween party to give the crew a break. Leonard has no intentions of going...so why does he keep telling Chekov he is?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catch Me When I Fall

“Bones, I’m throwing a Halloween party for the crew,” Kirk says, poking his head into medbay like he’s afraid that if he comes in completely, something might get thrown at him.

He’s probably right. Leonard scowls down at the clipboard in front of him. It’s been a long day of treating injuries by those that went down planet. A couple mild cases of frostbite, some deep lacerations, and a puncture wound by an icicle the size of a large needle.

It’s not the worst thing he’s ever seen but that doesn’t mean he feels like dealing with Kirk’s nonsense at the moment. “What are you talking about?”

“A Halloween party. I’m throwing one. A week from today. I think the crew needs a break and I don’t want to wait for the chance to get shore leave. Hence the party.” Jim’s practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“I’m not going.” Leonard puts the clipboard aside and turns his scowl on the captain. “I have too much shit to deal with.”

“It’ll be fun. You’re going, Bones. That’s an order.” Kirk grins and hurries away before he can respond. Leonard wonders what he ever did to deserve a best friend like Jim.

Kirk manages to rope Uhura and Scotty and Chekov into helping with the party, but Leonard stays out of it. Anytime Kirk comes by, he pretends to be busy even though there are only a couple patients staying in the medbay.

“Doctor?” A familiar Russian voice cuts through the quiet of Leonard’s office. The doctor pauses, wondering if this might be a trap. That Kirk might have sent Chekov to coerce him into helping with the decorations. “Doctor?” Chekov’s voice is more scared this time and all Leonard’s doubts are thrown out.

He rushes from his office to see Chekov standing in the middle of medbay, his hands wrapped up in thick bundles of cloth.

“Let me see,” Leonard murmurs soothingly. He nudges Chekov over to a cot until he sits down and starts to unwrap his hands. The tips of his fingers are stark white, close to the point where they’d start turning black.

Frostbite.

Leonard hurries to grab a bowl of hot water and place it on a table in front of the kid. “Put your hands in that.”

Chekov obeys, hissing slightly at the warmth of the water on his raw skin. That will warm them up gradually and help bring back circulation. In the meantime, Leonard searches the cabinets and finds a cream that will help once he’s warmed up a bit.

“What happened?” Leonard asks, sitting on a chair close to the cot.

“I was on-planet with an exploration group,” Chekov replies, wiggling his fingers a bit in the water. He’s staring at them like he might be able to heal them with the intensity of his gaze alone. “There vas an attack. No injuries, but I ended up separate from ze ozers in a cawe. Took time to get me out.”

Leonard resists the urge to run his fingers through the kid’s hair. “You’ll be all right in a bit. But no more missions for a couple days. I want to keep an eye on you.”

Chekov nods and Leonard stands up to head back to his office. It’s going to be a few minutes yet before the kid’s hands are ready to be treated.

“Vhere are you going?” Leonard looks back at Chekov in time to see his lower lip stick out in a clear pout.

“To my office. There’s paperwork to be done.” If Leonard’s voice isn’t as gruff as it normally is, there’s no way he’s going to admit to that. He can feel his resolve cracking by the second.

“Vill you stay?” Chekov glances pointedly at the chair he just vacated. Leonard hesitates and sits back down.

“Fine. Is there something wrong?”

Chekov shakes his head, peeking out from underneath his bangs. “Zere is nozing vrong.”

Leonard stares at him, taking in the mass of curly hair and wide eyes. His face, so young and bright with curiosity. He says the only thing that comes to mind, “Are you looking forward to the captain’s Halloween party?”

Chekov nods eagerly. “Are you?”

Hell _no._ He still has no intentions of going, no matter what the captain says. And yet, when Chekov turns those shining eyes on him, he finds himself saying, “Can’t wait.”

“Are you going vith anyone?” Chekov’s face is the picture of innocence as he asks it, but his hands are twitching so hard in the bowl that Leonard worries he’s going to knock it over.

“No, I--” Leonard freezes, realizing where this conversation is going. “I’m not going with anyone,” he says, a little too firmly. “Now let me see your hands.”

Chekov pulls them out of the bowl and holds them up for examination. His skin is mottled red and purple, but that’s a good sign. Leonard stands up next to the bed, cream in hand, and reaches for one of Chekov’s hands.

As he spreads the cream onto the kid’s skin, he realizes that maybe this wasn’t the best change in subject. Chekov’s hands are soft and warm—too warm. The back of Leonard’s arm brushes against the kid’s wrist and he realizes that he’s freezing.

“Stay right here,” Leonard orders. He wipes his hands on a towel and heads into the back for a pair of thick blankets. Nurse Chapel has been keeping them on hand, just in case of something like this.

He brings them back through and drapes both around Chekov’s shoulders. “Better?” he asks.

“Bezzer.” Chekov reaches up with his already treated hand and pulls the blankets tighter around him. “Zank you.”

“Give me your other hand.” Leonard takes another bit of the cream and rubs it slowly into his fingers, watching the circulation return. “Any loss of feeling? Any pain? Everything all right?”

Chekov nods. “Eweryzing is fine. A little…vhat do you say? Pins and needles?”

“That’s normal. It should go away in a few minutes.” Leonard switches back to Chekov’s other hand. He knows that it’s unprofessional and foolish and he’s a madman for letting himself do it, but he doesn’t want to let go of Chekov quite yet.

He checks over the pads of the kid’s fingers, telling himself he’s being certain that there isn’t going to be any lasting damage, and then lets go. Chekov sighs softly as he tucks his hand back into the blanket.

“Relax and I’ll be back in to check on you later,” Leonard says, taking a step back. “Wouldn’t want you to miss your rhythmic ceremonial ritual.”

Chekov’s forehead creases up in confusion. “Vhat?”

“Nothing.” Leonard chuckles to himself. “It’s from an old movie.”

“What’s the movie?” Chekov arranges himself curled up on his side on the cot, bundling the blankets around him until only his face is visible along with a few unruly curls.

“ _Back to the Future._ ” Leonard pauses and then heads for his office. “Nurse Chapel will be here in a few minutes. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Yes, doctor.” Chekov’s voice follows him out of the room. He stays in his office for the rest of the afternoon, only to be interrupted when Nurse Chapel comes to check in on him and give updates on the remaining patients.

For a few days, the medbay is quiet and Leonard almost forgets all about the party. Except for the part where Kirk busts into his cabin one night to search his closet. He must find what he’s looking for, because ten minutes later he’s leaving again with a grin on his face.

Leonard is just thankful he doesn’t order him to attend. Again.

The day before the party, Chekov shows up in the medbay with minor burns running up his arms. Leonard sighs and motions him to hop up on the cot.

“What happened?” he asks as he gets out the dermal regenerator.

“I vas helping Mr. Scott with zomething,” Chekov replies. “It did not go vell.”

“I can see that.” Leonard sighs and watches the burns start to fade away. He knows that he will never get tired of helping people and watching them get better. It’s a rush unlike any other in the world.

Chekov remains silent as he heals. When Leonard draws away, he runs his hands up his arms—the skin still tender—and says, “Hawe you decided on a costume yet?”

“I haven’t.” He’s still convinced that he’s not going. “Do you have yours?”

Chekov nods eagerly. “Tiz a surprise.”

Leonard scowls, realizing he’s being baited. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“Surprise,” Chekov repeats, grinning.

Leonard jerks his head toward the door. “Get out of here, kid. And be careful.” Chekov scurries out the door and Leonard shakes his head as he tidies up. 

The next morning, Leonard stares in his closet as he searches for something to make into a costume. He can’t believe he’s really doing this, can’t believe he’s falling for it. But he’s curious to see how the party turns out.

And Chekov’s costume. He really wants to know about Chekov’s costume.

Eventually he settles on a set of scrubs under his white lab coat. He’s already a doctor, but at least he tried. It’s better than Spock, who he swears he saw wandering around in his formal uniform earlier.

The party has already started by the time he arrives. A dull buzz of voices fills the room, along with an occasional recorded witch’s cackle and a rustle of leaves that he thinks is supposed to be spooky.

Leonard spots Kirk immediately, standing in front of the punch. He’s dressed up as a pirate—that’s his hook on his wrist, that explains a lot—and Spock next to him is…a fairy tale prince? Leonard can only assume that Kirk is the one who roped him into that one.

“A pirate,” Leonard says as he stops behind them. “How appropriate.”

“Bones!” Kirk turns around to grin at him, taking in his costume in one sweep of his eyes. “Why are you dressed as a doctor?”

Maybe because he wasn’t even planning to come to this party until a few hours ago. Leonard scowls at him. “Damn it, Jim, I am a doctor.”

“It’s Halloween. You’re supposed to dress up as something that you’re not.” Kirk grins at him and Leonard is already regretting coming to this thing.

“I guess you didn’t get that memo either.” Leonard pushes him out of the way so that he can get a glass of punch. He doesn’t think there is any alcohol in it—damn it—but that can wait. Maybe. He stops mid-ladle as he looks up and spots Chekov.

That adorable bastard. Leonard recognizes the costume instantly and realizes that he must have given Chekov the idea.

He’s Marty McFly: blue shirt, thick red vest, jeans, white sneakers, and a pair of sunglasses. The resemblance is striking.

Leonard abandons the punch and crosses the room in a few strides. He’s glad Chekov isn’t standing with anyone at the moment. He doesn’t want to do this in front of anyone, but he also doesn’t think he’s capable of waiting.

“I don’t think that life preserver will save you in space, darling.” The last bit slips out before Leonard can stop it. He stands directly behind Chekov, so close that his wayward curls are almost tickling Leonard’s face.

“Zat’s vhat you are here for, is it not?” Chekov turns to face him with a smile, peering up through his bangs.

Leonard’s falling before he knows what to say. All he knows is that he wants so badly to kiss this boy—man, he’s over twenty—in front of him. That he has for a while now, even though he didn’t want to admit it.

“That’s right,” Leonard growls.

“I watched ze mowie.” Chekov still looks so innocent, like he has no idea what he’s doing to Leonard. Like he doesn’t notice the way Leonard’s tongue flicks out as Chekov leans in just that little bit closer. “I see vhy you enjoy it. Ve should vatch it togezzer sometime.”

“I don’t have to be on duty until morning.” Leonard doesn’t know why he’s saying it, just that he needs to get the words out.

“I vill be on the bridge tonight,” Chekov replies and he looks so disappointed that a part of Leonard wants to march over to Kirk and tell him to find someone else to take the rest of beta tonight. “Perhaps tomorrow.”

Leonard reaches out with a tentative hand, resting it against Chekov’s waist. “Tomorrow night?”

“Zat sounds perfect.” Chekov reaches out and takes the doctor’s free hand, twining their fingers. “I must go to ze bridge now. Will you come?”

Leonard nods and follows him out. They relieve Uhura, Sulu, and Scotty, all of whom already seem to be dressed for the party. Leonard sends away a lieutenant and another ensign that come to join them.

No one wants to be up here anyway and, if anything happens, he can handle it.

“Did you watch that movie because of me?” Leonard asks as they sit side-by-side in the quiet of the empty bridge. It seems almost lonely without everyone around them, but at least Chekov is there with him.

Chekov nods.

“Why?”

The boy grins over at him. “It was density, doctor.”


End file.
